Carmelo, Phil Jackson talked triangle

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Carmelo Anthony said a recent conversation with New York Knicks president Phil Jackson helped provide some "clarity" regarding his role in the triangle offense.

Jackson huddled with Anthony prior to last Monday's game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Carmelo Anthony said a conversation with Knicks president Phil Jackson helped provide "clarity" regarding his role in the triangle offense. Cem Ozdel/Getty Images

"We had a great conversation, a very positive conversation," Anthony said after practice on Monday. "It gave me some clarity whether it was in the system, whether it was things I should do out there for myself, whether it was things I should do out there for the players, for my teammates ... I took it extremely well."

At the time, Anthony was in the throes of a shooting slump and the Knicks had lost four straight. Since his conversation with Jackson, Anthony has appeared more comfortable in the team's new offense. He has made 57 percent of his shots since the chat with the Knicks president, including 20 of his past 27.

Anthony's strong shooting hasn't translated to team success, though, as the Knicks are just 3-8. But Anthony's comfort level with the triangle is pivotal for the Knicks in the long term. Anthony is under contract through 2018-19 and Derek Fisher and Phil Jackson are under contract through the same season, so Anthony figures to be playing in the triangle offense for the foreseeable future.

Fisher noted on Monday that Anthony's had an easier time finding his shot in the offense in recent games.

"It's just different and it's taken him a little bit of time to kind of find out how to be his best self but also in a way that allows the offense to work. I just think he's kind of settled into that more the last few games," Fisher said a day after Anthony scored 28 points on 14 shots to help the Knicks snap a seven-game losing streak with a win over the Denver Nuggets.

"He may not continue to shoot it for as high a percentage the entire season but I think he just knows where his shots are going to come from, how to get those [shots] but also how to allow the offense to work so his teammates can thrive, as well," Fisher added.

In the four games prior to his conversation with Jackson, Anthony had hit just 44 percent of his shots. That included a two-game stretch in which he missed 31 of his 41 attempts. In his past two games, Anthony has scored 37 points per game on 65 percent shooting.

Of course, it would be inaccurate to solely credit Jackson for helping to fix Anthony's shot. Anthony said he noticed a flaw in his mechanics and recently corrected it.

But Jackson's talk -- along with continual input from Fisher and the rest of the Knicks' staff -- helped Anthony navigate when to be more aggressive with his shot and when to focus on incorporating his teammates.

Earlier in the season, Anthony said he was struggling to find his "comfort zone" in the triangle, noting that nothing felt as if it was second nature. On Monday, Anthony said that he's getting closer to finding that comfort zone.

"In my mindset, I'm thinking about it as if it's any offense," Anthony said. "Go out there and still play my game within the system that's being implemented. I'm still learning the system, I'm still getting better at it. Each day I'm still challenging myself to figure some things out. I know it's going to take some time but, as of right now, I'm becoming more comfortable as the days go on."